Throughout the earliest centuries of the church, every Sunday celebrated the entire festival of the “paschal mystery”: the passion-death-resurrection-ascension of Christ, the giving of the Spirit, and Christ’s coming in glory at the end of time. Over the years, however, Christ’s redeeming work was gradually separated into individual feasts on specific days. For instance, by the late fourth century, the Lord’s ascension and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit were commemorated as two distinct aspects of Christ’s redeeming work. Ascension Day’s exaltation of Christ, however, still looks both back to Transfiguration and Easter and forward to Christ the King (or Reign of Christ).

Adhering to the sequence of events in Acts 1:1–11, Christ’s ascension was celebrated on “the fortieth day” after resurrection. Ascension Day, therefore, was and is always observed on the Thursday after the sixth Sunday of Easter or on the Sunday following.

Since John Calvin’s theology placed great importance on the ascended and regnant Christ, Ascension Day is in some ways the Presbyterian feast day. John Calvin and the other sixteenth-century reformers retained it as a feast day of the church. Christ is Lord of the world and head of the church, we proclaim. Christ’s ascension, therefore, is concerned not only with ecclesiastical matters, but also with social and political ones. If Christ has ascended, then Christ’s word rules the world as well as the church. If Christ has ascended, then there are no other rulers—all others are merely pretenders. Christ reigns supreme.

With the raising of Christ to a position above all worldly powers, the earthly ministry of Christ begun at his incarnation at Christmas now concludes. Christ obediently followed the path of faithfulness through the suffering of the cross to the exaltation of glory. From glory to suffering to glory again is the shape of Jesus’ ministry as well as ours. We, too, are destined for the glory we share now with Christ only by faith. “What we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).

This year, consider offering a service on Ascension Day, perhaps noonday prayer or evening prayer to allow people who work during the day to attend. Here are some suggestions for planning such a service:

• Precede the worship service with a congregational meal, either lunch or dinner. This helps to set a festive tone for the occasion. It is also appropriate to celebrate the Lord’s Supper as part of the service.
• The worship space should convey the sense of the transcendent, of Christ enthroned in glory. Eastern Orthodox images of Christ as “Pantocrator” (ruler over all) may be used effectively on this day, either by bringing in icons or using visual projections.
• Consider using part of the Barmen Declaration from our Book of Confessions as the Affirmation of Faith. This confession clearly and forcefully declares our faith in Christ as the only Lord we worship and serve, an appropriate theme for the day.
• Use regal hymns that emphasize Christ’s lordship over all earthly powers, such as “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name” (Presbyterian Hymnal #142, 143) or “At the Name of Jesus” (PH #148).
• This is an appropriate day for a procession at the beginning of worship, if your space permits it. If you have a meal before the worship service, you may have everyone process from the meal to the worship space following a processional cross and singing the opening hymn.
• The Book of Common Worship has prayers for Ascension Day on pp. 332–335.

Parts of this article are adapted from the forthcoming Companion to the Book of Common Worship, edited by Peter C. Bower, © 2003, Office of Theology and Worship, Congregational Ministries Division of the PC(USA), to be published by Geneva Press in 2003. To order a copy of this title, call (800) 227-2872.

Martha L. Moore-Keish, author, is Associate for Worship, Office of Theology and Worship. Contact her at (888) 728-7228, ext. 5332, or send e-mail to mmooreke@ctr.pcusa.org.